Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Hello folks! I am going to be teaching some classes at work. An embroidery class seemed like a good idea to add to our list of fun classes. There seems to be a real resurgence in stitcheries!! Perhaps some people feel intimidated by embroidery and feel they don't know too many stitches! This is what this class is designed to address. We felt, french knots, lazy daisies, chain stitch, stem stitch and boullion knots were a good repertoire to learn. Then most stitcheries would be well within the scope of my students.

Here's the thing!!! I had to come up with a pattern that would cover all those stitches. Well, I sweated over that and finally got something down on paper. Then the embroidery began. When I finished it I was not really sure how much I liked it. A few days passed and I decided to just take the plunge and finish the project. I added a few more flowers and french knots. Then I trimmed the embroidery down and finally stitched it into a pillow cover. Tomorrow I take my sample into the shop!!! I hope it will be acceptable and that it will be met with enthusiasm and not "What on earth is that". I am nervous, but I am hoping for a positive reaction. Will let you all know how that went!!!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Good Morning!! I hope this blog finds you all happy! I certainly am happy! We have had the most blisteringly hot summer in Texas with 56 (?) days in the triple digit figures. This morning I woke up to thunder and rain!!! I nearly had to ask myself "What is that curious sound?". It was not much rain but it was enough to gladden the heart!!!
On to things sewing! I am teaching a class at The Quilt Asylum during the next three months. Yep, you guessed it - a Christmas stocking class! These are the samples I stitched up to show folks what they will be making. They turned out really well.

Here is Santa's little helper! O'Malley loves to come and lie on my sewing. He was being all cute and social. One of my favorite things in the whole world is to sew (you've probably come to that conclusion yourself). It is even sweeter in the company of a sweet furry cat!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Long ago, when I was a little girl, my great grandmother and great grandfather collaborated on a gift for me. Pa made me a dolls cot and Ma made a dolls quilt and bedding for the bed. It was a beautiful gift and I can still picture the little cot in minds eye. We grew up and stopped playing with toys. My Mom gave our toys to charity so other children might enjoy them. It was all fine until I became an adult and developed an appreciation for things made by others. I so would have kept that bed and quilt if I had any sense back then. Well, not all is lost. My second son was looking for something to do a few weeks ago. He is on summer vacation. I asked him if he would mind making me a replacement dolls bed. I would like to show off some of my dolls quilts using the little bed. Well he did a wonderful job and I am so glad with the little bed. He even wood burnt a design onto the sides and headboard. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to own a dolls bed with a lot of meaning attached to it. I will treasure it, and maybe return it to him should he have a daughter in the future! Thank you sweet son!!

Here is a picture of the progress I am making with the little quilt that is to go on the dolls bed. I will be sure to post a picture of the finished article. I also bought some sponge yesterday to make a mattress for the bed. I think it will look so cute when done.
Until next time, stay happy and healthy and thank you for visiting.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Hello folks! I can't tell you in words how happy I am to report that my 84 blocks for the block swap on Saturday are done!!! And, it's not even a minute to midnight!! Ha ha!! It was so much sewing! 8 of the 9 mini-blocks which makes up the churn dash are pieced. My rotary cutter blades wants to retire and my iron is begging for a break too.

My machine is fine though although it string-pieced miles of fabric for me. Thank you faithful friend.

Here are five blocks waiting to be pieced into rows.

My finished six color groups of 14 blocks each. They are all packaged and ready to go. My darling daughter helped me pack them. I will of course show you the wonderful blocks I will be getting tomorrow. Until then, have a great day.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Hello! It has been weeks since I last posted anything! It has been a busy summer so far. I have been working at my job, we travelled to San Antonio for a couple of days, been sewing for a block swap due this weekend, sent my eldest back to college for his last year!!! No wonder I have not been around.

It has been unbelievably hot and dry here in Texas. We are breaking record temperatures this week with the forecast predicting (and achieving) temperatures of 108 F for the next few days. Hence the progress on my diamond hexagon quilt!!! It is too hot for mad dogs and Englishmen to be outside. The swimming pool is like a hot bath. So I stay indoors and stitch. It is also shark week on TV here, so I watch some of that while I sew.

I am predominantly using Kaffe Fassett's fabrics for this quilt. I am not sticking to the rule though. I have found a few other fabrics which have been wonderful alongside the Kaffe's.

I have 15 diamonds completed with the 16th well on its way to being finished. I can lay the diamonds out now and see a quilt starting to form.

I just love the bright colors of these fabrics. It certainly is going to be a very happy quilt.

Yesterday I received the latest edition of Quiltmaker in the mail. It is the September/ October edition and has the pattern for a stunning hexagon quilt on pages 46 -48. I might just have to make that one too.
Hope you are having a happy day!

About Me

I have been married for 29 years to my wonderful husband. We have four children -3 sons and a daughter, as well as two wonderful daughters-in-law who are the center of our lives. We share our home with two cats. My passion in life is sewing. I was privileged to have two grandmothers who taught me how to knit and crochet at a tender age, instilling a deep love of crafting and being creative in me. I am a self-taught quilter and have been quilting for 14 years.